I enjoyed visiting Jojakkoji Temple and Nison-in Temple, and then took a leisurely walk through Sagano to Daikakuji Temple. The area near Saga Station was crowded. Daikakuji Temple is close to the station, but there is an entrance fee with matcha tea included, so you can explore the temple grounds quietly. I wanted to relax outside, but it was too hot, so I sat in front of a fan. This time, it was all about matcha tea. I am satisfied.

Happiness might be like this... A wonderful space where you can deeply feel it. I haven't found another place as comfortable, open, and enjoyable as this one. This place is located in the Okochi Sanso Villa Garden on the mountain above the Togetsukyo Bridge and the bamboo forest path in Arashiyama. Most tourists head towards the bamboo forest, so fewer people go to the entrance of the villa on the mountain side. Maybe the 1000 yen entrance fee is also a reason. That's why the villa is quite empty inside. I've been there twice, and I hardly encountered anyone inside the villa, feeling like I was left in a world without people. You can enjoy the quietness with the sound of nightingales singing and leaves rustling in the wind. As you follow the path, you'll reach a hut where they serve matcha. There are seats inside and outside, and I chose to sit outside because the weather was nice. They quickly brought me a sweet called "rakugan" and matcha. The slightly bitter taste of matcha goes well with the not-too-sweet rakugan. Delicious. A wonderful landscape and the representative drink of Japanese culture. This fantastic space where you can enjoy everything 360 degrees is simply amazing. I truly want to visit this place again. *If you pay the entrance fee, matcha is included, but I really wanted a second cup, so when I ordered a refill, it was 300 yen.

Arashiyama's bamboo forest is a tourist spot near the crowds, but it wasn't very crowded, perhaps due to the entrance fee. The scenery was wonderful and the garden had a nice atmosphere, but it was quite large with lots of ups and downs, so it took time to explore. After getting tired from walking, I was able to revive myself with matcha and traditional sweets.

I took a trolley train from Kameoka to Torokko Arashiyama Station and got off there. The train back to Kameoka was scheduled 3 hours later, so I decided to explore the Arashiyama area until then. I was looking forward to visiting Okochi Sanso Villa, which has a tea house and beautiful gardens that are said to be very enjoyable. I paid the entrance fee of 1,000 yen and entered. Soon, I saw the tea house. We decided to take a break before exploring, so we rested first. Whether inside the building or in the garden, you can choose where you want to relax. Since the weather was nice, we secured a seat under the autumn leaves in the garden. We were served matcha and a tea sweet called Rakugan in exchange for our ticket. I'm not a fan of bitter foods, so I drank the matcha with a grimace, while my wife, who loves matcha, was delighted and said it was delicious. On the other hand, my wife found the Rakugan too sweet, but I loved it. It had a perfect balance of sugar sweetness and the flavor of roasted soybean flour, which I really enjoyed. It was so good that my wife, who initially hesitated, ended up loving it after trying a piece. We enjoyed our tea and sweet outdoors, but when we went inside the building to take a look, it was also beautiful! The view outside the large windows was a bamboo grove, making the window frames look like artistic picture frames in photos. The first picture in the review is one of those photos. Isn't it beautiful? After that, we strolled through the garden. It was incredibly spacious with many attractions and truly beautiful. Perhaps because it was a paid attraction, it was not as crowded as other tourist spots, so we could enjoy a leisurely stroll. I was quite satisfied with the experience and would highly recommend visiting Okochi Sanso Villa when in Arashiyama.

Since I came all the way to Arashiyama, I decided to do some sightseeing as well. I visited the Okochi Sanso Villa. The bamboo-lined path leading to the villa has a charming atmosphere. The strolling garden here is quite enjoyable. It's a bit of a walk, so please wear comfortable shoes. I was happy to receive a matcha tea ticket included in the admission fee, so I enjoyed a delicious cup of matcha while admiring the beautiful greenery. It was a relaxing and enjoyable time.

I visited Kyoto on a weekend in November. The temples and shrines in Arashiyama were at their peak of autumn colors, creating a stunning display of vibrant hues. I visited Kao-in, Seiryo-ji, Hokyo-in, and Hogon-in before arriving at Daikouchi Sansou. This place was a villa built by the Showa-era actor Denjiro Okochi, featuring a sprawling garden on the southeast slope of Mt. Ogura spanning 20,000 square meters. The large maple and Japanese maple trees in the garden were ablaze in red, making it seem as if the entire mountain was on fire. After a leisurely stroll, I enjoyed matcha and sweets at a tea ceremony. For an entrance fee of 1,000 yen, I was able to experience this exquisite service. It was a sunny afternoon, so I sat at an outdoor tea ceremony seat and soon received matcha and sweets. Savoring a cup of tea while admiring the autumn leaves in the garden was particularly special, with a balanced blend of bitterness and sweetness in the matcha. The "Kofuse no Rakkan" served as a tea accompaniment was elegantly sweet, complementing the matcha perfectly. Enjoying a cup of tea while gazing at the breathtaking scenery was truly a taste of bliss.

Dan Shimozasa is not familiar to me, but I heard that this used to be the mountain villa of a famous actor from the past. It's like a mansion on a mountain. He seemed to have a deep appreciation for the art of sculpture, and later poured his heart into creating a garden, which resulted in this mountain villa. After taking a stroll around and looking down at Kyoto city from above, we enjoyed a moment with matcha tea. The matcha was creamy. I prefer it without dry sweets if possible, but it was a relaxing time to savor the aftertaste.

I visited Arashiyama and Sagano during the beautiful season of fresh greenery. After eating hand-made soba near Togetsukyo Bridge, I went to Jozanji Temple to see the fresh greenery, passed by Okochi Sanso Villa, Giou-ji Temple, and the Torokko Arashiyama Station, before heading to my next destination, Okochi Sanso Villa. This villa was built over 30 years by the famous actor Denjuro Okochi. The entrance fee is 1000 yen for adults (includes matcha sweets). Whether this is considered expensive or not depends on whether you enjoy seeing meticulously maintained gardens or not. The garden, carefully crafted, was quiet and elegant, like a different world. I wanted to take my time to admire the garden, but since it closed at 5 pm, I didn't have much time. First, we went to the tea room. We chose to sit in the outdoor seating area. The matcha and sweets were just right, not too strong or too weak. The sweet was called "Teboan," made with white kidney bean paste, a confectionery created by Tsuruya Yoshinobu for Okochi Sanso Villa. No wonder it was delicious. After enjoying the matcha, we strolled through the garden.

Today, I visited the popular tourist spot in Kyoto, Arashiyama, and stopped by the Daikochi Sanso, located right after getting off at the Torokko Arashiyama Station. This mountain villa is said to have been created by movie actor Okochi Denjiro and gardener Hirose Rihei on the south side of Mt. Ogura, famous for the Hyakunin Isshu. The villa boasts a vast, winding garden. When travelers (mostly foreigners) get off at Torokko Arashiyama Station, they are often headed towards the bamboo groves, but the Daikochi Sanso also exudes a lucky and auspicious atmosphere in its garden. However, many people are put off by the entrance fee of 1000 yen (including tea ceremony fee). Nonetheless, if you proceed through the bushes following the route, you will come across a tea house where you can take a break. By presenting a tea ticket, you will be served matcha and a tea confection (a monaka with the name of Daikochi Sanso). You can enjoy it indoors or in the garden, surrounded by greenery. The Daikochi Sanso, with numerous pine, cherry, and maple trees adding to its charm, covers an area of approximately 6000 tsubo. The garden shows a different face in each season. When I visited, the cherry blossoms were still far off, but the trillium and azaleas warmly welcomed me. You can also enjoy a panoramic view of Mt. Hiei from the observation deck or visit the museum showcasing the achievements of Okochi Denjiro as a period drama actor. I had a very precious time at this power spot in Arashiyama, the Daikochi Sanso.

And this year, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Foreign visitors have disappeared from tourist destinations all over Japan, including Kyoto. I thought I would never visit Kyoto again. However, I decided to take the Shinkansen to Kyoto with the intention of experiencing a calm Kyoto without any foreign visitors, almost as if it was my "last trip to Kyoto". I am writing this review after already completing my trip to Kyoto. I truly had a wonderful time and made good memories. What was so great about it was, as expected, the beauty of "Kyoto without foreign visitors". I could see that the other tourists around me were also enjoying this situation, which made me happy as well. Thanks to the "GoTo Campaign", I could stay at hotels and ryokans at a discounted rate and receive regional coupons. But more than the financial and material reasons, the comfort of "being in a domestic tourist destination with only Japanese people" was the most significant and invaluable experience. Walking through tourist spots where I only saw Japanese people and only heard Japanese language, this environment truly felt pleasant. Of course, this is like a fleeting time and experience that can only be enjoyed "now". I have written a lot, but now moving on to the review of "Okochi Sanso Villa". "Okochi Sanso Villa" is a strolling garden built as a villa by the actor Denjirō Ōkōchi. It took him 30 years, from when he was 34 years old in 1931 until he passed away at the age of 64, pouring most of his movie appearance fees into it. The entrance fee is 1,000 yen, including matcha and sweets. With a magnificent borrowed landscape of Arashiyama, Hojo-kyo Gorge, and the distant Hieizan. Elegant structures such as the Chumon Gate, Dajo-kan, and Tekisui-an, which are registered tangible cultural properties. At the Tsukigetei along the way, I sat on a long bench, enjoyed reading for about 30 minutes while overlooking the city of Kyoto. While Arashiyama and the road leading to the Togetsukyo Bridge were crowded with many people, "Okochi Sanso Villa" had only about three groups of two besides myself, making it a quiet and peaceful place. I truly had a happy and calming time there.

A very calming place. The building, which is said to have been rebuilt after Mr. Okouchi's passing by his wife, was amazing. I visited during the season of fresh greenery and was able to relax and refresh myself with deep breaths. The matcha brought to our table was delicious.

Hidden gem for autumn leaves viewing spot. Recommend checking out Tsukage-tei for a great view from the observatory.

Atmosphere-focused

The famous Kokurayama can be seen from the Hyakunin Isshu garden, which is very large and rotates as you view it. Climbing up to the tea room, Shizukui-an, you can see the clear waters of the Hosu River below. If you are wondering who Denshiro Okouchi is, please look it up yourself. The tea and sweets we had while spinning around were very delicious.